In the production of electronics employing devices such as semiconductors, accelerometers, and gyroscopes, it is known to enclose the device in an enclosure for protecting the device from the elements. Sealing enclosures made from, e.g., ceramic, glass or plastic have been used. While the enclosure protects the device from external elements, oftentimes during the operation of the electronics, the enclosed device (as well as, in some cases, the walls of the enclosure) emits gases which can contribute to the malfunction of the device. As such, it is known to incorporate a gettering material in the enclosure to absorb or react with the gas generated in the package and obviate the problem. Getter is available in a very effective form as a sintered coating of fine particles on a metal foil which may be affixed to the inside of the enclosure.
There are practical problems in the art, however, with making such getter equipped on-chip enclosures. For the enclosure to be effective in most applications, the space in the enclosure above the chip has to be evacuated before sealing. While attainable, in practice this is not always easy. As such, improvements in the process and technology of evacuating the getter containing enclosure, sealing it to the substrate containing the device, and ensuring that the getter is properly activated, are always being sought.